1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the general field of pallets for transporting loads. In particular, the invention relates to a three-component pallet of modular construction that can assume various forms to meet specific requirements of a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pallets have been used for many years to provide a portable platform for handling, storing, or moving materials and packages, such as in warehouses, factories, or vehicles. Typically, the platform consists of multiple top slats mounted on transverse support elements that elevate the slats from the ground and allow handling of the pallet with forklift equipment. Bottom slats may also be used to reinforce the structure and/or provide a continuous surface for supporting the pallet on a conveyor.
Weight, cost, structural strength, versatility of use, ease of transport, and ability to re-use are all important factors in the evaluation of the ideal pallet for a particular application. Accordingly, the prior art is rich in designs developed for optimal performance for specific uses. U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,722, No. 5,365,859, No. 5,402,735, No. 5,456,189, No. 5,497,709, and No. 5,601,035 disclose various configurations of such prior-art pallets.
It would be desirable to have a pallet of modular construction that provided multiple configurations for different uses and that could be disassembled into basic components for ease of storage or transport and subsequent reassembly, as desired, into any one of the available alternative configurations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,167, issued to Sadr, provides much flexibility toward these goals by disclosing two components, a runner and a slat, that used in combination enable the modular assembly of various pallet configurations. The slats are connected to the runners by means of transverse grooves slidably coupled to a mating tongue running the length of the runners. Each slat has three such grooves to accommodate three runners. Thus, while the invention provides a modular system for mounting multiple slats at various points on the runners to provide different embodiments of a pallet, the number and position of the runners in the pallet is fixed, which limits the amount of support the pallet can provide. In addition, no configuration of the invention produces a continuous bottom surface in the transverse direction of the pallet, which is important for some applications. This invention is directed at fulfilling these needs.